


how quickly things fade

by Le_Bitch



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Drabble, Gen, POV Hunith (Merlin), S4 Setting, i was feeling angsty and pumped that drabble out, some mentions of arthur and gwen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:48:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27553351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Le_Bitch/pseuds/Le_Bitch
Summary: Hunith realizes this is not the same bright-eyed boy she'd last seen summers ago.
Relationships: Hunith & Merlin (Merlin)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	how quickly things fade

**Author's Note:**

> i was really feeling hunith,, and everyone needs some angsty merlin in their life.

Hunith could’ve sworn her son was taller. She hadn’t seen Merlin in nearly four summers, and now he’d shown up with his prince and the young woman, Guinevere she remembered. Looking at him, holding him at an arm’s length and examining him now, she could’ve sworn he was taller when she saw him last. It was the way he held himself, she realized, watching him shrink in the shadows, eyes flitting between the prince and Guinevere. He was hunched, his eyes gleaming with a sadness too old for a boy his age. 

_ You look tired, Merlin.  _ She said after everyone had gone asleep. They were walking outside Hunith’s small home; the very path he would run across a century ago, laughter lighting up his every feature. Now she saw the tautness of his shoulders, the weariness of the half-smile he tried to give her. 

_ I'm fine, mum, _ he told her,  _ I just need to look after Arthur. Make sure he’s safe. The royal arse doesn’t make it easy,  _ he tried for humour. 

_ Yes,  _ she replied, softly stroking his much-too prominent cheekbones,  _ But who is looking after you?  _ He gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his weary eyes. 

In the morning, as they got ready to leave, she watched as Merlin studied the sky, the road outside their window. His grim expression turned into a sort of quiet anger, a hunger that twisted his features. He listened as Arthur made his plans and gathered supplies, and she wondered if Merlin knew of the quiet devotion that shone in his tired gaze. The unwavering loyalty that burned so brightly; she wondered if he realized that was the look of men who would burn the world down to the ground, and lay it at their beloved’s feet. She wondered if he cared. 

As they left, she gripped her son and enveloped him in an embrace, willing him to stay longer, to rest and relieve himself of the pain he walked with. He wouldn’t, she knew. That destiny of his had woven it’s way into the soul of her son. She still held onto him, and let out a broken sigh when she felt him melt into her. 

_ Visit me, please Merlin?  _ She had begged. He’d nodded, eyes not meeting hers and a strained smile on his lips. She clutched her heart as she watched him ride off. 

Hunith didn’t see him again. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are appreciated!


End file.
